Doctors Demolish Myths on Medical Marijuana

[PFlynn]

Michigan - As Michigan voters prepare to consider a November ballot initiative to protect seriously ill patients who use medical marijuana from arrest and jail, one of America's leading medical societies has come down forcefully on the side of compassion and common sense, in supporting medical marijuana for seriously ill people.

These doctors have demolished the myths being floated by opponents of medical marijuana.

The American College of Physicians is the nation's largest medical specialty organization and the second largest physician group in the United States.

Its membership numbers 124,000 doctors - specialists in internal medicine, cardiology, neurology, pulmonary disease, oncology and infectious diseases, among others. ACP publishes Annals of Internal Medicine, the most widely cited medical specialty journal in the world.

In a just-released position paper, backed up with 10 pages of scientific documentation and references, ACP says the federal government is wrong to classify marijuana as unsuitable for medical use and urges an immediate review of its status, "given the scientific evidence regarding marijuana's safety and efficacy in some clinical situations." ACP specifically calls for "protection from criminal or civil penalties for patients who use medical marijuana as permitted under state laws," such as the one Michigan will soon vote on.

ACP directly takes on the myths already being raised by opponents:

ACP cites studies showing that marijuana's active components "may provide symptom relief not found in any other medication" for patients suffering from AIDS or undergoing cancer chemotherapy and experiencing severe pain, nausea and appetite loss.

ACP explains that a technology called vaporization removes the hazards of smoking while maintaining the benefits that patients prefer.

ACP notes that the THC pill called Marinol, touted as a substitute for marijuana, has "serious limitations" due to "slow absorption" and side effects that are "more severe."

"Marijuana has not been shown to be the cause of even the most serious predictor of serious drug abuse," the doctors write, adding pointedly, "Opiates are highly addictive yet medically effective ... There is no evidence to suggest that medical use of opiates has increased perception that their illicit use is safe or acceptable."

The group representing 124,000 physicians has declared that it's time for public policy to recognize "marijuana's proven efficacy at treating certain symptoms and its relatively low toxicity."

Michigan voters should take the doctors' advice this November and vote to protect seriously ill patients from arrest and jail.

Note: New analysis shows feds are wrong on pot.


Source: Lansing State Journal (MI)
Copyright: 2008 Lansing State Journal
Contact: Lansing State Journal
Website: Lansing State Journal

[roywarren]

as a former chemo patient i know the benefits of marijuana in relieving the terrible side effects of the treatment,especially compared to what the pill pushers gave me which did nothing and were just a waste of my money...it is necessary the medical community call the government on their egregiously mis-guided,foolish and heartless war against a medically beneficial and harmless plant and the people that need or choose to use it...the people have voted in favor of medical marijuana and the government said "thats cute but we dont think so...we enjoy persecuting the sick and harmless and profiting from it"...thats not democracy...thats a fascist dictatorship...prohibition failed miserably with alcohol just like it is with marijuana...and alcohol is a seriously dangerous and destructive drug that kills people everyday with absolutely no medical benefits...and dont even get me started on cigarettes...the war on marijuana is hypocrisy,apathy and stupidity of the highest levels and can only be rationalized by those who ignore facts and/or are heartless,brainless,morally bankrupt scumbags...legalize it...its the right thing to do...VOTE OBAMA...

[medMUser]

I asm a medical user also. There are many of us who fear, & rightly so, Rx drugs. I get a kick out of Rx commercials. I listen to the "side affects" they list. I don't think I will die any time soon from MJ's side affects; munchies or giggles.

Of course not all Rx drugs are bad. There is a place for them in medicine. But they still kill a lot of people every year.

Here is a link to another medmuser--

Angel Justice*:*Index

There are many more.

mM